Rose of Vengeance
by Xavier Ching
Summary: Each man kills the thing he loves. According to Hermione, Draco, the cheater, deserves the cruellest revenge associated with rose and his best friend, Blaise.


41. Rose of Vengeance

'I'm sorry 'Mione!' Draco apologised pleadingly, clutching at Hermione's arm. Hermione, who was turning her back on Draco, jerked round to face him. Draco could feel that hope glinted again, just like the way his steel grey eyes shone.

'It's Miss Granger to you now, _Mr Malfoy_,' Hermione snapped tonelessly.

Hermione shook off Draco's hand and stormed out of the room with Blaise. Draco was devastated, in a way that he had never been before. He did not know which he felt sorrier for – the fact that the heart of his love was broken, or that he had probably lost his one and only forever.

Draco fell to his knees. He broke down, just like the way he did when he failed to carry out his mission assigned by the Dark Lord. He sobbed. He cried. He wept. Tears rolled off his eyes down to his palms which were irritated by the salty liquid. He deserved to end up alone, but Hermione, she did not deserve to be heartbroken. It was all his fault, all Draco Malfoy's fault.

A month ago, on Hermione's birthday, that was, Draco did not celebrate with his girlfriend. Instead, he began a distorted relationship with his ex-lover, Pansy Parkinson. He was unfaithful. He betrayed Hermione. From that moment, he had led himself to a point of no return. The relationship of him and Hermione would never be the same.

On this night, Draco, again, cheated on Hermione with Pansy. But that was not all, with Astoria Greengrass too. He started a threesome when Hermione called on Malfoy Manor with Blaise. There was no escape, of course. Hermione and Blaise could hear their moan. Draco was oblivious of the arrival of unexpected visitors until Hermione blasted open the bedroom door.

Draco would give up everything to save her from devastation. He could never forget Hermione's expression. It scared him to death.

Hermione was inevitably petrified, so was Blaise. It took her one whole minute for the scene to sink in. Her bosom rose and fell vigorously. Her breath was shallow and rapid. Her face was as pale as a sheet. She looked as if she was likely to die of heart attack at any moment. Subconsciously, she spoke.

'I can't believe it, Draco,' she stated tonelessly, as softly as a whisper.

Hermione then staggered backward to leave the despairing scene. Her steps were so unsteady that she almost stumbled, if Blaise did not catch her. She was on the brink of both physical and mental collapse. She had to support her numb body by Blaise's arm.

Draco immediately grasped her. He apologised but that was of course in vain. She called him _Mr Malfoy_. She had not called him that even on the day they began a proper conversation.

Now that Pansy, Astoria, Blaise, and even Hermione, were gone, all Draco could do was crying. He cried non-stop, until he was too exhausted that he fell asleep.

Rest did not do him good. His sanity had not returned. All Draco did was to sit in front of the mantelpiece and stare at nowhere. Face of Hermione recurred in his mind. His head was burning as his brain swelled. He reckoned he might die of suffocation or hyper blood pressure. His heart, no, the place his heart usually dwelled, was hollow. The Draco Malfoy was gone and shattered with Hermione's broken heart.

Two days passed but Draco was still in such pathetic state.

On the third day, he finally realised that something must be done in the hope that Hermione would return to him, or at least, Hermione would feel better. As Draco could not foresee Hermione's reaction upon seeing him, he decided that he'd better not visit in person, unless she was ready for that.

He called her cell phone and home. All numbers were linked to voice mail. But Draco could not give in that easily. He owled her no less than ten times. Certainly, there was not a single reply. He went to her office in the Ministry, but her colleagues told Draco that Hermione had not turned up for three days. He had called on her empty house afterwards and he guessed she's staying at her friend's place.

Draco was determined to see her, at any cost. He first visited Harry's place and was hexed by Ginny her best jinx – Bat-Bogey Hexes. The next destination was the Burrow. There he earned himself numerous bruises from the Weasley brother. He dared not visit Mr and Mrs Granger. They would be, too, heartbroken if they knew Hermione went missing.

Demoralised, Draco flooded himself with the most choking Firewhisky. To his utmost surprise, he had a notion of Hermione's whereabouts.

Draco hurried to Blaise's place. He knew she was there. He was up for any kind of cruelty which served him right. He boldly arrived at the doorstep of Blaise's and was astounded to know that Blaise was waiting for him. The door was opened upon his Apparation.

'Blaise, I need to talk to Hermione,' Draco pleaded, 'please.'

Caressing his wand, Blaise smirked at Draco with despise, 'I can't believe it, Draco. You can be cheeky enough to ask to see her.'

'Blaise, _please_,' Draco almost beseeched.

'You broke her heart!' Blaise stormed, eventually looking at Draco, 'she's living like dying. And you ask to speak to her?' Blaise closed his eyes. His knuckles whitened with excessively forceful grip of wand. He tried to swallow his anger.

'I need to talk to her, Blaise,' Draco stated firmly. Conviction burnt in his stormy grey orbs.

'If Hermione did not ask me not to harm you, you would've died long before this moment,' Blaise spat coldly.

Blaise's handsome face was twisted with a complex expression. Draco thought it was a mix of disgust, loathe, passion and love.

It was an awkward moment. Blaise was sitting in his armchair glaring at Draco with hatred. From Draco's eyes, it was not difficult to tell that his brain was functioning at its highest speed. After a minute or so, Draco's eyes suddenly widened with enlightened fear.

'Blaise, don't take her away from me,' Draco knelt down in front of Blaise.

'_You_ throw her away, Draco,' Blaise remarked with sarcasm, '_I _am the one that try to pick up her pieces.' Malice was all Draco saw in Blaise's orbs.

'I – have – to – see – _my_ – Hermione,' Draco stated with suppressed rage.

'She's not yours anymore,' Blaise corrected with a victorious yet maniac beam, 'you fucking cheater.'

In a split second, Draco wanted to punch his once best friend. He had raised his fist but he managed to refrain from Blaise's trap. This made Blaise chuckle. Hatred was boiling in every cell of Draco's body.

'Hermione has a message for you though,' Blaise beamed precariously, 'she wants to see you at her place the day after tomorrow, at nine. Dress decently.'

'What are you up to?' Draco narrowed his eyes, scanning Blaise's unreadable expression. On one hand, Draco was deadly worried that it was Blaise's plot. On the other hand, he could never miss a chance to see Hermione. It seemed that Blaise sensed Draco's concern, because he said,

'This is a message from Hermione, I swear.'

Draco glared at Blaise's dangerous face and turned his back on Blaise.

'See you then, Draco.'

Without looking at Blaise, Draco could still detect the bizarre thrill in Blaise's tone and the excited beam on his face.

Was that a trap?

Even danger may be ahead of him, Draco determined that he would still seize the opportunity, or he could never see Hermione again. He was exceedingly disturbed by the fact that Blaise wanted Hermione. Would Blaise harm her? Would Blaise be using her against him? The original intention of Blaise was perhaps uncertain. But Draco was certain of one thing – Blaise currently obsessed with Hermione.

It was an inky night. A bat glided across the sky. There was not a slightest bit of sound. No honking. No TV. No laughter. No sound at all. He was aware of the exceptionally silent environment. Was he worrying too much? Or was it indeed a plot to finish him off?

His numb legs had brought Draco to the destination. The moment his left foot landed on the doorstep, the door flicked open, just like the way back in Blaise's place. That told Draco, even if it was Hermione that asked him over, Blaise must be in it.

Draco took a deep breath in attempt to tame his irregularly-pounding heart. He did not expect his heart could be calmed though. Trembling, Draco pushed the door to discover a rose petal trail. Draco thought the blood-red petals seemed to reflect light as if they were real blood.

Hermione's place was as neat as he last visited. The sole difference was that all their photos disappeared. Draco guessed the trail would lead him to the living room. When the trail went upstairs instead of turning right, he knew he was wrong. That worried him even more because he had a disturbing notion that he was led to Hermione's bedroom – a place he was forbidden unless love making.

His heartbeat was out of control. He bet he now looked whiter than the night he was meant to kill Dumbledore. His sanity told him it might not be a good idea to continue with the trail. His legs, however, carried on automatically. His head was on fire again.

The trail ended. Expectedly, Draco was brought outside Hermione's room. Draco knocked and a voice that excited him asked him to 'come in'.

The room was exactly the same as last time he had sex with her there. It was lit by solely the faint ray of a table lamp.

Draco was overjoyed to see Hermione, who was sitting at the end of the bed. Draco hurried to embrace her but she pushed him away.

'No, Draco,' Hermione prompted softly.

Draco stepped backward and muttered, 'I'm sorry.'

Not seeing his love for so many days, Draco wanted to see Hermione clearly.

Hermione was in a rose-red dress. It was her favourite. She wore it on their first official date. Her brown hair was as messy (to Draco, the word should be 'sexy') as ever. Her eyes were less radiant, probably due to excessive tear loss and devastation. His heart ahead at that thought. But, gosh, Hermione smiled and his heart was well again.

'You want to talk to me,' said Hermione, gazing at Draco.

'Yes, Hermione. I miss you so much and I want to tell you how much I love you,' Draco reeled off with agitation, 'I'm so sorry I – I cheated.' Draco's voice trailed off but his eyes were glowing.

'You never love me more than I love you,' Hermione smiled sadly.

'That's why I want to start it all over with you, 'Mione!' Draco exclaimed, 'I love you and you still love me!'

'I love you more than myself,' she said with a faint smile.

'We can start all over, 'Mione,' Draco swore, 'I promise I love you with my life.'

'Cheating is a point of no return, Draco,' Hermione said gently.

Draco dared not look at her. He was too guilty to do so.

'I'm sorry,' he apologised quietly.

'You never understand that feeling,' she said without any expression, 'from that moment, my heart is broken. I lost my sense. This is all because of you, Draco, because I love you too much.'

Hermione rose up and walked towards him. She caressed his hollow cheeks with her slender hands. Tears trickled down Draco's face. He closed his eyes to better feel her touch. Her movement was extraordinarily tender and loving, but that caused agony to him. His hands wandered to touch her hands.

He felt good with his cheeks in her hands, and her hands in his hands. He could feel her love. He could feel how their love for each other met, sparked off and burnt. Draco Malfoy could, and would, never love other people more than Hermione Granger.

'I love you, 'Mione,' he almost whispered, eyes locking with her, 'forgive me, _please_.'

Her brown eyes were trying so hard to pierce through his grey ones. They kept moving and she blinked quickly. Draco leaned in to close the gap. Hermione shut her eyes. Draco's lips approached Hermione's slowly. Their lower lips came into contact –

And she slapped on his face.

That moment seemed to be frozen like eternity. The slap was forceful, as red mark evolved on Draco's face. Draco was speechless and his eyes dilated with surprise.

'Don't fool around, Draco,' Hermione mocked, 'you shouldn't cheat on Pansy.'

''Mione I'm serious,' Draco stated urgently, 'we love each other so much. We should start all over!'

'Don't pretend,' Hermione laughed ruthlessly, 'you're a cheater, remember?'

Draco could not deny it. He was indeed a cheater.

'Forgive me, please,' Draco pleaded, his eyes were telling her that he meant it, 'I beg you.'

Hermione chuckled sharply, 'a Malfoy does not beg.'

'I beg you,' Draco repeated. He would give up everything as long as she asked for it.

'You are a disgrace to your family, Draco,' she remarked pointedly, 'not because you beg, but because you cheat.'

'Hermione –' he did not know what to say.

'You know I'm a forgiving person,' she smirked his smirk, 'I forgive my friends, family, and even foes. But cheaters, no.'

''Mione–' he called feebly.

'Draco, you teach me what loathe really is,' she smiled bitterly.

'I'm sorry,' he said weakly. He knew she loved him as much as she loathed him. Merlin knew how much she suffered because of him. 'But – I love you. I really do.'

Hermione smiled precariously. Her eyes glowed with darkness.

'Sit down, Draco,' she beckoned him to the only chair in the room. He obliged.

'I'm not inviting you over only because you want to talk to me,' she said with a mysterious smile, 'I want to play a game with you.'

'A game?' he asked with perplex.

'Remember in what occasion are you allowed in this room?' she asked right next to his ear. Her breath sent chills down his spine.

'When we – make love?' he replied with confusion. 'What's the matter with that? She won't want to make out with me now, I suppose?' he thought.

'Correct,' she smirked, 'but today _we_ are not making love.'

'Are you going to kill me, 'Mione?' he asked seriously.

Not that he was scared of death, he simply did not wish to see Hermione ruin her life. If she killed him, her soul would be ripped and her life would be damned. He did not worth such severity.

'No,' Hermione answered lightly.

Draco sighed with relief.

'Draco, do you love me with your life?' she asked challengingly.

'I do,' he replied concisely.

'Prove it,' she said nonchalantly. Their gaze met.

'You're as clever as ever, 'Mione.' Draco smiled. She could kill him without a hand. She just knew too well he would kill himself for her sake.

Whilst he was pulling his wand from his pocket, she snapped mercilessly, 'you reckon I'll let you kill yourself? No. You should feel sorry for the rest of your life. You should stay alive with agony and regret.'

Draco realised that her feeling towards him was beyond love or loathe. It was an emotion that could not be delivered by words. His damage on her was unimaginable and irreversible. He was responsible for the destruction of Hermione Granger.

''Mione, you are entitled to do anything to me,' said Draco, even though both of them knew nothing could help.

'Take off your shirt,' Hermione ordered.

Draco unbuttoned his shirt as Hermione looked at him amusingly. Her lips tugged a bit but they did not grow into a beam. Draco could not fully decipher the look of Hermione's eyes. Her brown orbs reminded him the sparks he saw in Bellatrix's black eyes. He had never seen something like that in Hermione's before. Draco believed that the look was the compound of vengeance, love and seduction.

Hermione walked towards him. She bent down to help him with the last two buttons. Draco shivered when her hands brushed his abs. She discarded his black shirt onto the floor.

She tilted his chin with her index finger, and smiled alluringly, 'let's start the game.'

With a flick of her wand, Draco was tied to the chair. His arms wrapped around the back of the chair. He was locked to it by a thick chain over his wrists. Another chain snaked around his ankles and bound them together.

'You know what, Draco,' Hermione said very softly, sitting on Draco's lap, 'I always like your chest.' She smirked his smirk again. Draco could not deny that her smirk made him dizzy.

Draco thought that his heart and lungs malfunctioned. His heart pounded drastically at a peculiar beat. His lungs failed to carry out gaseous exchange process. He did not know that main cause of his abnormalities. Perhaps it was because Hermione was drawing small circles on his chest. It may also be because the rose-red dress that complimented her figure displayed her cleavage an inch from his hungry grey eyes.

'Don't be too thrilled, Draco,' she informed with a smirk, 'more to come.'

Gazing at Draco precariously, Hermione raised her wand. She poked it at Draco's left chest, the residency of his beating heart.

'Surrexit Ultionis,' Hermione enchanted.

Draco tried not to scream. However, as a red trail stretched across his chest, he found it hard to stifle. He moaned in pain whilst blood leaked bit by bit from the red trail. The agony was impossible to be put into words precisely. The closest description would be, someone peeling his sensitive skin inch by inch and sprinkling salt all over the wound. Hermione advanced to lick a drip of blood and Draco instantly winced. Another appropriate interpretation of his suffer would be, someone digging a knife into his chest to scribble and then pulling it out. His skin was tattered.

The enchantment was completed. He bent his head to find the pattern of rose, Hermione's favourite flower. Indeed, every rose had its thorns. He felt like his heart was confined in a cage made of thorns. Every swell, his heart was penetrated by pricks. He wanted to rub his chest but his hands were locked.

'Rose of Vengeance?' Draco knew the cost of this ancient Dark Love Magic. The cost was perhaps as high as that of the Killing Curse. Draco was therefore quite astonished to notice how light his tone was, when mentioning the name of the Dark Magic.

'Yes,' Hermione replied with a faint smile, 'the day you love another person more than me or you stop loving me –'

'– I die in a horrible way, I know,' Draco nodded.

'You'll die very soon, Draco,' she said knowingly, 'love me with your life?' She sniggered with despise, 'rubbish.'

'On the contrary,' Draco pointed out confidently, 'I live as long as you live. You know the Marriage Vow? "Till death do us part."'

Hermione smirked, 'we'll see.'

'I don't worth your soul, 'Mione,' Draco blurted out.

Just like the Killing Curse and slaughter of unicorn, one's soul was tainted and torn upon the enchantment of Rose of Vengeance Curse.

Hermione gazed at Draco for a moment or two. Her eyes and expression were unreadable. His grey eyes immersed in her once affectionate brown ones. His eyes went deeper and deeper into hers. His orbs found nothing, no spark, no sense, no _soul_. Her eyes were merely deep, deep with emptiness.

'I'm living a cursed life, Draco,' she replied with underlying sorrow, 'my soul – my soul was stained by love and hatred for you. I lost my soul. You took it away and smashed it.'

Her gaze hurt Draco's eyes. The emptiness of her orbs made him sick with guilt. His heart ached as much as hers. The pain he felt during the curse was no rivalry to the agony he felt now. The pain was both physical and mental. Someone must have stabbed his soul. Draco believed that Hermione was enduring the same pain as well, despite her lack of expression. He guessed she was probably too broken to feel anything.

It was all his fault, Draco Malfoy's fault, that Hermione Granger was in inferno.

'This is only part of the game, Draco,' Hermione smirked temptingly, 'the best part is coming.'

Draco was mystified. Hermione had put an enchantment that bound their life together. Their souls were terribly damaged. Could there be anything more hurtful to him?

'No,' Draco shook his head hysterically. He was truly afraid of what was ahead of them.

Hermione grinned predatorily and silenced him with her finger on his lips, 'you'll enjoy it, Draco. To make the game more intriguing, someone's going to join us.'

She snapped her finger and the door unlocked itself.

A tall, handsome man of Draco's age entered the room. That man shared so many common features with Draco. Both of them wore black suit, under which hid a similar well-built torso. The difference of their height was within an inch. Their eyes and hair, were however, different. Opposite to Draco's platinum hair, he had dark hair. Draco's grey eyes interlocked with the man's black ones.

'Blaise,' Draco snapped with disgust.

'Good evening, Draco,' Blaise smirked.

Blaise walked towards Hermione and kissed her full in the mouth. Hermione pushed him away by his firm chest and muttered, 'not so quick, Blaise.' Blaise smirked and nodded.

Shock filled Draco. He kissed her? She let him kiss her? 'What the fucking hell is going on!' Draco thought aloud. Draco was in chaos. He did not know which emotion dominated: lament, jealousy, loathe, or disgust.

'Given that you don't fully comprehend the feeling of being cheated on,' Hermione explained with a vengeful tone, 'Blaise and I will help you.' She threw a luscious glance at Blaise before a smirk spread on her face.

'Don't. Don't!' Draco shouted, 'you don't want him, Hermione! There's only one man you genuinely want to make love with and that is _me_!'

'Be quiet, Draco,' Blaise prompted sleekly.

Hermione leaned in to whisper at Draco's ear, 'watch closely, Draco.'

Her breath and her husky voice made him shudder.

'Don't miss a second. This is the best bit of the game,' she smirked.

Hermione threw herself to Blaise. They immediately snogged each other senseless. Hermione's arms were around Blaise's neck, whereas Blaise's arms were stroking Hermione's back. Draco could see how Blaise's tongue hungrily licked Hermione's lower lip, and how eagerly her tongue responded to Blaise. Draco could not withstand it. He shut his eyes bitterly, to escape from that scene. Of course, that did not really help. He could still hear their laboured breath and Hermione's occasional soft moan. How he wished he was deaf.

'Hold on,' Draco heard Hermione mumbled between kisses.

'Making out with Blaise is certainly fun,' Hermione said to Draco breathlessly, 'but if you, Draco, watch as an audience, it'll be even better.' Hermione then placed an enchantment in undertone. Draco guessed that the charm must be used to keep him watching, because he could not shut his eyes anymore.

'Much better,' Hermione smiled.

Hermione resumed to snog Blaise. After a minute or so, Hermione was no longer satisfied with sheer snogging. She pushed Blaise onto her bed and started to take off Blaise's clothes. Their lips never broke contact.

Draco wanted to look away so badly, but he could not, due to the enchantment. He struggled to be rid of the chains. He squirmed recklessly on the chair.

'Stop it,' Draco requested desperately.

The pair was too busy to take care of him. Draco only saw Blaise's clothes all over the floor. Blaise somehow managed to give Draco a triumphant but evil grin. Unable to withstand such provocative action, Draco bellowed 'stop it' again.

Hermione eventually tore herself from on top of Blaise. Poor Draco thought it was over, as he sighed 'thanks Merlin'. Hermione lay down next to Blaise, who was almost naked, except for his black boxer. Blaise knew what Hermione wanted. He towered over her and immediately earned himself an approving smirk from Hermione. They smirked as they heard Draco groaned with anger. If Draco was not chained, he would have killed his former best friend. But now, all he could do was to let pain, sorrow and rage decay his soul.

Blaise kept snogging Hermione until she panted heavily and broke away for oxygen. Draco could hardly believe that she would let other men snog her the way he did. His heart was pierced by a hallucinated sword. The sword was unreal but the pain was not. Blaise moved his way down to Hermione's neck. Once his moist tongue touched her sensitive neck skin, Hermione unconsciously let out a breath 'ah'. Normally, that would arouse Draco. But today, that unleashed his desire to commit suicide.

Blaise nibbled Hermione's neck, leaving clearly visible love marks on her body. Hermione seemed to enjoy it, because she was moaning. Blaise did not idle his hands. They were caressing her busts tenderly. Blaise smirked because he knew she was pleased.

Fidgeting, Draco's hands were shaking due to excessively forceful balling of fists. He wanted to yell. But unfortunately, his throat was too dry to do so. Instead, he bit his lower lip. Even when blood leaked, he did not stop. He hoped the physical pain could distract him from the mental agony.

Hermione now looked dishevelled. Her locks were a mess. A strap of her dress had slid to her upper arm. Her lips were rose red, attributing to the long snogging session. The state of her tugged Draco's heartstring.

Blaise snaked his arm to Hermione's back. Draco knew he was undressing her. And when Blaise was done with it, Blaise would see her body, touch every inch of her skin and fuck her. Draco Malfoy would have to see how the woman he loved so dearly was shagged by another man. He broke her heart? She broke his too.

Blaise pushed away Hermione's rose red dress. Blaise could finally see Hermione in lingerie.

'Do you know I love you, 'Mione?' Blaise asked, whilst trailing kisses all over her torso.

'I know,' she puffed with her eyes half closed.

'I love you so much,' he said, gazing at her eyes intensely.

'That's why I let you touch me, kiss me,' she replied breathlessly, 'and even fuck me.'

Blaise smiled at the woman beneath him affectionately. He understood that he may not be the one she loved most, but he would not mind that, as long as she asked for him.

A rival was not Draco's greatest concern at the point. He could not just let his Hermione fucked by other men, could he? Nonetheless, he knew she loved him and hated him so much that she was determined to get back at him.

Blaise was unhooking Hermione's bra. Soon, her breasts were revealed. He tactfully caressed and kissed her bosom.

'Blaise–'

''Mione, you never know how much I want to make love to you. I love you–'

'If you love her, Blaise, don't fuck her. She's using you to destroy herself,' Draco shouted urgently. He must try before it was too late. His breath was suddenly heavy and rapid.

'Ignore him, Blaise,' Hermione pecked on his lips, 'fuck me, now.'

Blaise returned her kiss and said, 'I'll do anything you want.'

Hermione snogged Blaise again. Draco knew nothing could stop that. He must see how Blaise fucked Hermione and hear how she moaned for him. Draco swallowed hard. Yet, no matter how hard he swallowed, his throat was still exceedingly dreary, unlike his eyes. A tear cascaded down to his cheek. He was senseless now. His heart, though pounding, was dead, just like hers.

Blaise's hands wandered down to Hermione's thighs. Draco had heard from Pansy how good Blaise's hands were. He could not believe he would ever witness that. Hermione was moaning. Draco reckoned she was so turned on, but at the same time, devastated. Her expression told him so. Underneath the ecstasy, he detected bitterness. Her heart must, too, be agonised, like his own.

Hermione reached her hands to discard Blaise's bower. He gladly let it off. He removed her knickers.

'No!' Draco yelled frantically.

Blaise penetrated Hermione.

Draco counted himself lucky that his eyesight was blurred by tears. It should be less painful to be forced to see his Hermione being fucked. He still saw vaguely how Blaise thrust into Hermione. Draco was perhaps too heartbroken to notice that he was repeating 'no' with his croaked voice.

Blaise and Hermione gathered speed whilst tension mounted in their bodies. With every thrust, Hermione moaned.

Draco's ears picked up every moan from her lips. He felt as if her moan was charmed to kill him. His heart was sliced with each whine.

'Fuck – Blaise –' Hermione cried when they reached the climax.

'Ah – Hermione –' Blaise cried at the same time.

Blaise quickly kissed on her lips, 'I love you, 'Mione.'

Hermione grinned wheezily, 'thanks, Blaise.'

Hermione grabbed a sheet to cover herself. She sat up against the headboard.

'Tell me, Draco,' gazing at him, she teased, 'what hurt more – your lover making love to your best friend, or your best friend fucking your lover?'

Draco shook his head in defeat, 'Hermione…'

She rose from the bed and walked towards Draco. Her face was a centimetre away from Draco's tear-tainted face. He struggled to loosen the chain. He wanted to close the gap and pecked on her lips.

He inhaled the fragrance on her neck, rose, mingling with Blaise's choking cologne. Her lips, swollen, was rose red.

'Do you still want me, Draco?' she gazed at him teasingly.

'Yes,' he replied curtly.

'Remember the Rose of Vengeance I give you, Draco,' she pointed at his chest, 'remember why Hermione Granger is destroyed. Remember why Hermione Granger loathes Draco Malfoy so much.'

'Because Hermione Granger loves that cheater Draco Malfoy so much,' Draco smiled in agony.


End file.
